Permanent built-in folding boarding ladder for boats



Feb. 10, 1953 N. ROBINSON ET AL PERMANENT BUILT-IN FOLDING BOARDINGLADDER FOR BOATS Filed June 5, 1950 3nnentor s Patented Feb. 10, 1953PERMANENT BUILT-IN FOLDING BOARDING LADDER FOR BOATS Norman Robinson,Southport, and Paul R. Lutters, Fairfield, Conn.

Application June 3, 1950, Serial No. 165,882

6 Claims. 1

This invention relates to boarding ladders for water craft of varioustypes, and an object is to provide an improved boarding ladder in theform of .a folding structure built into the hull of a craft as apermanent part thereof.

In various types of craft, such, for'example, as small cruisers and thelike, the conventional ladders having outboard steps areunsatisfactorily for many reasons. For example, when a-craft is mooredto a float or clock the rise and fall of the water causes the projectingladder steps or other parts to catch on the float or dock with resultingdamage.

A furtherobject of this invention is to provide an improved ladder forwater craft constructed and arranged'so that all parts are alwayslocated inboard and have no projecting members which can catch on or bedamaged by contact with a float, dock, or other structure.

A further object is to provide a folding ships ladder capable of use inan emergency, as an escape ladder between decks on larger vessels.

A still further object is to provide a permanent built-in ladder in theside of small craft to take the place of the usual rope ladderfrequently used on small cruisers and the like.

With the foregoing and other objects in view, we have devised theconstruction illustrated in the accompanying drawing forming a part ofthis specification. It is, however, to be understood the invention isnot limited to the specific details of construction and arrangementshown, but may embody various changes and modifications within the scopeof the invention.

In this drawing:

Fig. 1 is a vertical section through a part of the hull of a craftequipped with a boarding ladder constructed in accordance with oneembodiment of this invention, different portions of the section beingtaken on different planes a will hereafter appear;

Fig. 2 is a section of a detail;

Fig. 3 is an elevation of a part of the structure shown in Fig. 1,illustrating one of the ladder steps in open operative position, and

Fig. 4 is a plan view of the mechanism shown in Fig. 3.

The illustrated embodiment of the invention is shown incorporated in ahull ll having a deck 12 and a freeboard [3. One or more openings is Ithe freeboar-d I3, the two openings l4 shown being exemplary of smallcraft only.

The invention comprises a folding ladder struc 'ture arranged inboardand includes a step-forming member l5 pivoted adjacent the bottom edge16 of each opening Mon hinge pins ll extending outwardly oneach side ofthe step 15 and mounted in bearing openings 18 located in inboard sideplates IQ extending vertically of the hull H 'on eachside of theopenings M. A rear plate 21 is connected to and holds the side plates ISin position.

The step-forming members It are movable into position to closetheadjacentopenings i i in the freeboard l3, as' indicated in brokenlines in Fig. 1, as more fully described hereafter, or inte position toopen such openings and form inboard ladder steps, as indicated in solidlines. Each step has supporting and guiding lugs 22 which extendoutwardly .atiach inside corner thereof and slidably. engage arcuateslots 23 in the side plates 19'. In open position the lugs 22 aresupported by the'l'ower ends of the slots 23 so that each step I5 isrigidly'supportedat each corner when in open step-forming position.

Mechanism is provided for opening andclosing the step-forming members,preferably simultaneously and from a convenient location near the deckI2. As illustrated, this mechanism includes anoperating quadrant plate24 adjacent each step l5 having its inner corner 25 secured to theassociated hinge pin ll whereby movement of the quadrant causes theconnectedstep-forming member l5to move in one direction or the other toopenor close the associated opening I4. As illustrated; the qu-adrant zdison thfi Q posite side-of the side plate [*9 from the step member 15and the hinge pin l1 extends through the side plate, see Fig. 4; Areinforcing guidepin 24a on the-upper corner of the quadrant 2a isslidable in an arcuate guide slot 24b in the side plate ,1!) and forms-a rigid connection between the'qu'adrant Hand step l5; An operatingrod -26 extends vertically along the side plates 19 and is pivotally'connected to, each quadrant '24 by pivot pins 21 or the like. The lowerendof the rod 25; is pivoted .to a supporting and; guiding link 28jhinged toa bracket. 29 mountedon the inside. of the .hull ll; while the:upper' end of the rod is pivoted to an operatingcranlctl by a pivot pin32 secured to the upper. end oithe rod- 26 and extending through a slotv33 in an enclosing wall 34. Two. such walls 34,.35 enclosing thesideplates [9 and fitting into grooves 36 in the'fend plate 2l','providea'clo'sure for the entire ladder assembly which can be made watertightif desired.

As shown in Fig. 1, the operating handle 3| is pivoted to a supportingbracket 31 mounted inboard on the hull a short distance below the decki2, a small hatch 38 in the deck giving access to the handle. The hatchopening is closed by a cover 39 or the like. When in raised position thehandle engages a spring clip 4| supported on the closure plate 34 orother suitable retaining means for holding it in raised position inwhich the openings |4 in the freebcard are closed. In Fig. 2, theretaining clip is shown as having a yieldable spring finger-42 engagingthe handle 3| and yieldably holding it in a notch 43 in a bracket member44 mounted on the outer face of the closure plate 34.

Each step i5 is of larger dimensions than the associated opening M andhas a nonslip tread block 45 secured to the face thereof in any suitablemanner, as by a waterproof adhesive. A rabbeted edge 41 on each block isengageable with a similarly formed edge 48 on the associated opening l4to provide a substantially watertight seal when closed. As shown, eachblock has a nonslip surface 49. A hand grip for use when the step isopen to form a ladder is provided by a depression 5| in the face of theblock 45 near the outer edge, or by any other means.

In operation, when the handle 3| is raised and secured by the clip 4| orthe like, the step-forming members H: are all in position to close theadjacent openings I4, as indicated in broken lines in Fig. 1, theirouter surfaces being flush with and forming a continuation of the outersurface of the hull. When use of the ladder is desired, it is onlynecessary to lower the handle 3| by pressing it downwardly out oftheretaining clip 4i and shift the mechanism into the position shown inthe solid lines in the drawing. In this position the step-formingmembers are each supported in horizontal step-forming position b thelugs 22 engaging the ends of the slot 23. Also, the illustratedquadrants 24 engage the inside wall of the hull. and assist insupporting the steps I5.

The invention provides an inboard ladder for small craft, having noprojecting steps or other members to catch on and be damaged by floats,docks or the like. on larger vessels the invention can also be employedas an escape ladder between decks for emergency use, as well as aboarding ladder.

The specific embodiment of the invention herein described can bevariously modified and adapted within the scope of the appended claims.

Having thus set forth the nature of our invention, we claim:

1. In a water craft having an upright side wall including a freeboardprovided with an opening therethrough, a step forming member of a sizeto fit in and close said opening, supporting means for said memberincluding means to pivotally connect said member at its lower edge tothe side wall, said member being'swingable inwardly from the opening toa substantially horizontal position behind said wall in substantialalignment with the lower edge of said opening to provide a ladder step,and means to support the member in this position.

2. The combination in a boarding ladder for a water craft having anopening in the side wall of the hull thereof, of a step-forming memberof a size to close the opening, hinge mechanism securing saidstep-forming member adjacentthe lower edge of said opening for movementinto position to close said opening or into a substantially horizontalposition at the inner side of the side wall to provide an inboard stepaccessible through said opening, means supporting said member instep-forming position including a quadrant plate connected to saidmember for movement therewith, and having an edge adapted to engage theinner surface of said hull when said member is in step-forming position,and means for moving said member from one position to another.

3. The combination in a boarding ladder for a water craft having anopening in the upright side wall of the hull thereof, of a step-formingmember of a size to close said opening, hinge mechanism securing thelower portion of said step-forming member adjacent the lower edge ofsaid opening for movement into position to close said opening or into asubstantially horizontal position to the rear of said Wall to provide aninboard step accessible through said opening. means supportingsaid-member in step-forming position including a quadrant plateconnected to said member for movement therewith, and having an edgeadapted to engage the inner surface of said hull when said member is instepforming position, and means including an operating rod connected tosaid plate and extending upwardly above said step for moving said memberfrom one position to another.

4; In a boarding ladder for a water craft having an upright side wallprovided with an opening in the freeboard thereof, a step-forming memberof a size to lit in said opening, pivot means at its lower edgesupporting said member for movement into position to close said openingor into a substantially horizontal position at the inner side of saidwall to open said opening and form an inboard step accessible throughsaid opening, means supporting said member in stepforming position,including a vertical supporting plate mounted at one side of saidopening inboard thereof, a pin on said member extending through anarcuate slot in the adjacent supporting plate so as to engage one end ofsuch slot to support said member when said member is in step-formingposition, and means for moving said member from one position to theother.

5. The combination in a boarding ladder for a water craft having anupright side wall and a plurality of vertically spaced openings in thefreeboa-rd thereof, of a plurality of step-forming members of a size toclose said openings, means supporting one of said members adjacent eachopening for movement into position to close said opening or into asubstantially horizontal position at the inner side of the side wall toopen said opening and form an inboard step accessible through saidopening, means supporting each of said members in step-forming position,and means for simultaneously moving said members from one position tothe other, including an operating rod connected to each of said membersand extending upwardly therefrom, and means accessible for operatingsaid rod including a lever pivotally mounted, and means for retain-ingsaid lever in posit-on to cause said members to close said openings.

6. The combination in a water craft having an upright side wall providedwith a plurality of vertically spaced openings in the freeboard thereof,of a plurality of step-forming members one for each opening of a size toclose the opening, means pivot-ally supporting said members Pills boardof said openings for movement into position to close said openings orinto a substantially horizontal position to open said openings andprovided inboard ladder steps at the inner side of said wall, means forsimultaneously moving said members from one position to the other, atread block on each step-forming member providing an anti-slip surface,the edge of each tread block being formed to seal the edge of theadjacent opening when said members are in closed position, and a recesson each tread block forming a hand grip when said members are in openladder-forming position.

NORMAN ROBINSON.

PAUL R. LUTTERS.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file ofthis patent:

Number Number UNI'I'ED STATES PATENTS

